Cape of Good Hope
The Tiger Lillies Lyrics


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The wind is howling
on this summer's day
The Cape of Good Hope
blows our lives away

The sea roars
the lightning flash
Our timbers are all smashed
The waters coming for us
With one last breath
over us it does gush

And we're going under the waves
Gasp and gag to our graves
But now as my breathing does cease
I feel only peace

And the mermaids carry me
I feel only free
Now my soul floats on the sea
And the mermaids play with me

All is calm in the waves
King Neptune does us save
So each sailor in the sea
If you hear remember me

When the storm does not cease




Your fate it will be peace
Only peace

Overall Meaning

The song "Cape of Good Hope" by The Tiger Lillies is a sorrowful ballad about a shipwreck off the coast of South Africa. The first stanza suggests that the ship is being rocked by violent winds and is in imminent danger of sinking. The mention of "summer's day" in contrast to the harshness of the wind signifies the unpredictability and cruelty of nature. The second stanza paints a picture of a stormy sea with roaring waves and thundering lightning, which destroys the ship's timbers. The final moments of the sailors on board are captured vividly as they take their last breaths and drown under the waves. However, the song's final verse introduces a note of hope and consolation. The singer's soul is carried by mermaids and he feels peaceful and free. He delivers a message of remembrance to other sailors, emphasizing that death at sea can bring peace and that there is no need to despair in times of distress.


The lyrics of "Cape of Good Hope" are deeply emotive, and the imagery thematically centers on the treacherous sea, impending doom, and eventual peace. The song is a tribute to all sailors who have lost their lives at sea; it highlights their resilience in the face of extreme adversity and their courage to confront fate, no matter how bleak. The lyrics' simplicity and shortness make "Cape of Good Hope" an unforgettable song that captures the essential human experience, emphasizing survival, death, and comfort.


Line by Line Meaning

The wind is howling
The wind is gusting strong


on this summer's day
The season is summer, yet the wind is strong


The Cape of Good Hope
The location is the Cape of Good Hope


blows our lives away
The strong wind is threatening their lives


The sea roars
The sound of the sea is like a roar


the lightning flash
There is a frequent occurrence of lightning


Our timbers are all smashed
The wood of their ship is broken and damaged


The waters coming for us
The water is quickly approaching the ship


With one last breath
They have the feeling that it's their last breath


over us it does gush
The water is surging and taking over the ship


And we're going under the waves
They are sinking and going under the water


Gasp and gag to our graves
They are struggling to breathe as they sink to their death


But now as my breathing does cease
Their breathing has stopped as they accept their fate


I feel only peace
They have found inner peace knowing their death is imminent


And the mermaids carry me
They imagine themselves being carried by mermaids


I feel only free
They feel liberated from their physical body


Now my soul floats on the sea
They imagine their soul drifting on the water


And the mermaids play with me
They imagine mermaids interacting with their soul


All is calm in the waves
The water is peaceful and still


King Neptune does us save
They imagine Neptune, the god of the sea, saving their soul


So each sailor in the sea
They address all sailors in the same situation


If you hear remember me
They ask others to remember them if they hear their story


When the storm does not cease
They speak to those who may face a similar fate in the future


Your fate it will be peace
If they accept their fate, they believe they'll find peace


Only peace
Their final message is about finding peace in death




Contributed by Adam N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

twistedkarm

amazing lyrics from the content to the pattern of the rhymes is ust amazing...

Liudmila H

Lovely.

Guram Labartkava

Unique

Merik420

is that the old man from family guy singing?

grumbleyguts

Merik420 it’s the ‘criminal castrati’......Martin Jaques

Masoud Hosseinpour

فدات علی